Aleksandra stuffed the last of the meat pie in her mouth and executed a playful little bow, as if to say 'Yes, I know I did very well and you may shower me with praise.' She swallowed the gravy-filled pastry and straightened, raking her unruly black waves from her eyes to watch the prince settle into his place on the bed. "Some noble will be wondering where his cherry tart ran off to, but I don't believe anyone noticed me lurking. I'll make a cloak to help me blend with the shadows." She tugged at one of the ribbons tying her shirt closed, letting the three inches of fabric hang open, and used the ribbon to tie her hair back as she approached the bed. After a moment of eyeing him hesitantly, she sat down and leaned against one of the bedposts.

She thought for a long while about how to answer him, staring out the window at the nebulous sky. He probably already had some small inkling as to who she might be, her vengeance-driven persona at least, but she wasn't about to tell him about her father or her long ago past. She decided on some of her adventures. "I've been homeless since I was a young girl. Living out on the streets, I learned very quickly that stealing was the only way to survive. I learned how to pickpocket, how to rob people blind. I ran a street gang for awhile in Astra." Street gangs were common for orphans. Often the eldest, the teenagers, rounded up the strongest kids and began smuggling and stealing and even killing if they were skilled enough. She'd been the leader of the strongest street gang in Ardany's capital. She'd had to run away after her brothers caught wind of her whereabouts.

"I had some soldiers teach me the basics of defending myself, and when I had to leave the gang I decided on Genta. My ship was attacked by pirates, though." The pirates were one of the biggest problems of sea trade. Most of the sea dogs were Gentan, and Genta itself was the origin of the exploding black powder used in their odd weapons that fired smoke and metal. Any ship not allied with the pirates was at risk. "They captured me, figured I'd be some fun in the sack and a good little maid for them. I'm sure it was surprising when I nearly strangled the first mate with my chains, even smaller than I am now and at only fourteen. They realized I would fight until death before being their prisoner. The captain admired that. He taught me to fight properly, though I was no good with a sword. Never have been," she murmured, more to herself than to Aulfr.

"A year later, I'd learned all I could from him. So I stole some of his stashed loot at port and ran off. I had enough to buy a horse, some clothes, even weapons. So I bought some Noxan daggers of almost as fine a make as that sword of yours and then I sought out my next teacher. I've been learning and getting stronger ever since then. Anyone who will teach me, anyone who knows what I can do to improve, I learn from them. With a few stops along the way," she added, smiling to herself in a secret sort of way.